Key holder



MaY14, 1946- A H. LEVESQUE 2,400,424

' KEY HOLDER Filed Jan. 3, 1945 %r%ufffl edesyzze Patented May 14, 1946UNITED ,5TA E F C KEY LuEBJ Arthur H. Levesque, North Attleborm Mass,as-

signor to R. F. Simmons-Company; Attleboro,

I Mass, a partnership Application January I I I I v I I v fi' ClaimsThis invention relates to animprotiedfkeyholder or key-keepfas it'issometimes called,

for retaining a collection of keys-in convenient for'm'for carrying onthe person. I I

One object 'of the invention is to provide a *key-holder of smalldimension and light weight for retaining a collection of 'keys incompact form.

Another object is to providea key-holder of the type indicatedcomprising a member adapted for attachment jto a suspension chain andhaving means for connecting the'endsof a looped chain on which the keysmay be strung.

. Another object is to provide a key-holder of the type indicated havinga central member with a fixed loop at one end for attachment to thesuspension chain and a releasable loop at its opposite end forconnecting the ends 'of the chain strung with keys.

Another object is to provide a key-holder of the type indicated havingmanually-operable .clasping or latching means for securely fastening thereleasable loop against accidental or unwarranted release irom thecentral member.

Another object is to provide a key-holder of the type indicated whichmay be constructed from. sheet-metal stampings and bent wire to renderit economical to manufacture while being strong and durable in use andproof against re- 7 lease of the keys held thereby] Further objects ofthe invention are set forth inthe following specification whichdescribes a preferred form. of construction of the device, by

way of example, as illustrated by the accompanying drawing, In thedrawing: I I

.Fig. 1 is a side View of the key-holder several I times enlarged andillustrating it with a; suspension chain attached at. oneendand a loopedkeysustaining'chain connected to its opposite end;

Fig. 2 is a similar enlarged view showing the latching or clasping meansof the device as opened for releasefof the chain-holding,loop-member atits end; 1

Fig. 31s a similar view showing the chain-holding loop-member asreleased and slid outwardly from the central member of the key-holder toadapt it to be rotated for applyingthe looped chain thereto or removingit therefrom;

Fig. 4 is a further enlarged end view of the device;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on line 5--5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view on line 6-5 of Fig. 1; and f I Fig.7 is a similar enlarged sectional view show- 3, 1945,5eria1 No. 571,132

(01. 70-459)} A I I ing'theclasp or latch of the device in open posi-'tion. I

The present improved key-holder comprises, in general; a relatively fiatrectangular central mem- 5 ber'3 having tubular-bearings4, 5, 6 and 1 atits opposite'sides for receiving the ends of substantially U-sh'apedwire loop-members 9 and 10. One loop-member 9 is adapted for permanentattach- I merit to a suspension chain H and the opposite loiloop-m'emberI is for connection with the end slinks l2 'ofi-a chain l'for holdingthe keys strung l thereon. 11,; :The two tubularbearings 4 and 5 are ofsub stantially theIsame length extendinginwardly from the ends of thecentral member 3 with their :inner ends spaced apart to provide anopening therebetween. The bearings 6 and I are connectedjto the bearings4 and 5 by a relatively thin plate or web-l6 having its ends cut awayor;,recessedin arcuate contour to save metal and ,reducethe weight of thecentral member 3. The .;bearing-;6 is somewhat shorter'than the bearings-4- and 5 and the hearing I, while of greater over- I all length-is cutaway on the outside leaving a relatively short arcuate portion I8 joinedto the central Web or plate lfi; this form of construc tion being for apurpose later explained. I" he l l-shaped loop-member 9 is formed by.bending alength oi wire insemicircular shape ,and 'opntinuingit inparallel legs '20 and 2+.- Its -:re l atively long leg 20 is insertedthrough the bearing .4: and partway into the bearing 5' as indicated bydotted lines in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. ,The o'pposite leg 2| of theloop-member 9 extends for onlyla short distance,.just sufiicient for itto be supported within the end of the bearing-B. .The

jloopr member 9. is held in this relationship perii ethebearingji andinto'the bearing. 5 with another f shorter leg 23 adapted forinsertion'part way into 5 the bearing 5. The leg 22 ofthe loop-member I0i is slidably mounted in the bearings B and T and also rota'tabletherein after its shorter leg 23 has been withdrawnfrom the bearing 5.Through this arrangement the loop-member H) is adapted SO f to berotatedon'the axis of its'longer leg 22 into open position as indicatedby dotted lines in Fig. 3,

' "W hreOf thelinks 12 of the chain {5 maybe connected'therewith, asshown'inFig'. l or one end link detached therefrom' For holding theloop-member H! in closed releg 22 of the loop-member againstsliding-movement in abutment or boss 30 end of 'thearcuate inwardportion I8 of the bearing 7 which' forms. a

ber 3 with both 'Fig. 2.

lationship and looking it against sliding movement to release its leg 23from the bearing 5 on the member 3, I provide a manually-operableclasping means or latch 25 hingedly mounted on the longer leg 20 of theloop-member 9 between the inner ends of the bearings 4 and 5. As shownmost clearly in Fig. 7, the clasping means or latch 25 is constructedfrom a strip of sheet-metal curled around at one-end to provide acylindrical bearing 26 encircling the leg 20 of the loop-member 9 andshaped at its opposite end with a curved hook 2'! adapted to clasparound the longer leg 22 of the loop-member II] with a snap action,.

see Fig. 6. The outer periphery of the hook 21 is formed with aprotuberance or rib' 28 adapted to be engaged by the fingernail to liftthe latch 25 to free its hook 2'! from engagement with the leg 22 toopen the clasp and releasetheloopmember I as shown in Fig. 3. The outersurface of the clasping element or latch 25 is grooved or indentedlongitudinally at its center for the sake of ornamentation or it may bechased, engraved or otherwise embellished if desired.

The longer leg 22 of the releasable loop-member I0 is providedwith' anabutment or formed integral therewith or fastened thereon in anysuitable manner, and serving as astop or-detent to prevent theloop-member I I! from being slid outwardly when'the-latch is closedaround this leg of themember. That is to say,- the hook 21 on theclasping element or latch 25 is adapted to snap into engagement with theIU' at one :side of the abutment or boss 30 to lock theloop-member 7.When the latch 25 is released and'swung open" as shown inFig. 2 theloop-member I0 may be slid outwardly from the central member 3 until itsshorter leg 23 is clear of the bearing as shown'in Fig; 3 and at'thisjuncture the will bring up against the stop to prevent complete releaseof the loop-member Ill. The boss 30 also serves to limit the inwardsliding movement of the loop-member I0 by engaging the end of thebearing 6 on the member'3.

In use the present improved'device operates as follows: It has beenstated that the 'loopmember 9 is fixedly secured to the central memendsclosed so that a chain II or other suspension -means may be fastenedthereto by opening anend link thereof and engaging it with the loop. Toapply the keys to the holder, the clasping-means. or latch 25 is swungopen as shown in Figs. 2 and 7 with'its bearing 26 pivoting onthe' leg'of the loopmember 9 between thebearings 4 and 5. The

loop-member Ill then may bedrawn outwardly to the position shown in Fig.3 and rotated on the axis of its leg 22 to open it to the positionindicated by dotted lines in this view.v One end link I2 of the chain I5then can be slipped onto the free end of the loop-member I0 and afterthe'keys have been strung on the chain the opposite link I2 may beengaged with the loop member I 0 in the same manner. .The .loopmember.I0 is then rotated backto the position shown by full lines in Fig. 3 andits into the central member 3to engage its shorter leg 23 in the end ofthe bearing5as-shown in The clasping element or latch.25 is swung on itspivot anditshooked-end 2'I snapped I over the leg- 22. of the.loop-member :Ill between.-

the bearings 6 and 1 leg 22 slid carried in the pocket or to the boss 30and the end of the bearing 1. As the latch is thus engaged around theleg 22 of the loop-member I0 abutting the boss the releasableloop-member will be held securely from sliding movement in the bearings6 and "I so that the looped key-holding chain I5 is fastened to thedevice Without chance of accidental disconnection therefrom. Due to thekeys strung thereon will be held suspended from the device in closecontact, one with another, and in compact form to avoid bulging thepocket or receptacle in which they are contained. It thus will beobserved that the present invention provides an extremely neat andcompact form of key-holder or key-keep adapted to be Worn on a chain andbe used without a suspension chain: .and contained in a handbag or otherreceptacle.

"While the improved key-holder is herein shown as-embodied in apreferred form of construction it isto be understood that variousmodifications may be made in-gthe structure. and arrangement of itsparts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention 'as'expressed in' the accompanying claims. Therefore; without limitingmyself in this respect, I claim:

1. A key-holder comprising a main member consisting in. acentralrelatively thin sheetmetal plate provided with -spaced tubular bearingsextending-along its opposite sides, a substantially -U-shapedloop-member having; opposite one side of the main memberto adaptit tofold across said member'and having. a hook adapted to snap over thelonger leg of the loop-member in engagement withiits detentvtopreventsaid rloopmember from being slid: outwardly to re lease itsshorter leg-from its bearing on the main member.

2. A key-holder comprising a main member provided with opposite"parallel spacedtubular bearings, a substantially'U-shaped loop-memberhavingopposite parallel legs slid'able in said bearings, one of saidlegs being relatively short to adapt it to be released from its'bearingwhen said loop-member-is slid outwardly in the opposite bearing, abosson the longer leg of the loop-member locatedbetween two of the spacedbearings, and a latch pivoted on the main member to adapt it to foldacross saidmember and formed with a hook atits opposite end adapted tosnap' around the'longer leg of theloop-memher with its lateral edge inabutting engagement with the boss to prevent said loop-member fromsliding in the main member. 7

3. A key-holder comprising a sheet-metal main plate-like memberofsubstantially rectangularshape having pairs of tubular bearings on itsopposite sides, a U-shaped wire loop-member having opposite, parallellegs slidable' in said bearings, one of said legs being relatively shortto adapt it tobe released from its bearing when its lateral edge inengagement with the side of the abutment to prevent the loop-member frombeing slid in its bearings outwardly with re- I spect to the mainmember.

l. A key-holder comprising a central member of substantially rectangularshape having spaced-apart bearings on its opposite sides, a U-shapedwire loop-member having parallel legs fixedly held in certain of saidbearings, a second U-shaped wire loop-member having its legs slidable incertain of the bearings, one of said legs being relatively short toadapt it to be released from its bearing, an abutment on the longer legof said slidable loop-member, and a latch pivoted to one of the legs ofthe fixedly held loop-member in the space between the bearings at oneside of the central member, said latch formed with a hook at itsopposite end adapted to snap over the longer leg of the slidableloopmember in engagement with the abutment thereon to lock said slidableloop-member from sliding in its bearings 0n the central member.

5. A key-holder comprising a central member provided with pairs ofparallel spaced-apart bearings on its opposite sides, a substantially U-posite end and ashorter leg adapted to project into the opposite bearingat one end of the central member, an abutment on said longer leg of theslidable loop-member, and a latch having a bearing enclosing the longerleg of the fixed loopmember between the bearings at one side of thecentral member and formed with a hook adapted to snap around the longerleg of the slidable loop-member in engagement with its abutment toprevent said slidable loop-member from being withdrawn from the centralmember to release its shorter leg from its bearing thereon.

6. A key-holder comprising a central 'member of substantiallyrectangular shape having tuvbular hearings on its opposite sides, aloopmember fixedly secured in certain of said bearings at one end of thecentral member to adapt I it for attachment to a suspension chain, areshaped wire loop-member having parallel legs held in the bearings atone end of the central member with one leg extending into a bearing I atthe opposite end of said central member and fixedly secured in saidbearings, a slidable U- .shaped wire loop-member having one legexbearing at one end of the tending through a central member and intothe hearing at its opleasable U-shaped loop-member having its legs'slidablein certain of the bearings on the central member with one ofsaid legs relatively short to adapt it to be disengaged from itsbearing, a detent on the longer leg member, and a clasp pivoted to thecentral membar and adapted to engage the detent means on the releasableloop-member to prevent the latter from sliding in its bearings, saidreleasable loopmember being adapted to be slid longitudinally vof itsbearings to release its shorter leg to permit it to be rotated whereofto engage it with the end loops of a chain for holding a collection ofkeys strung thereon. Y r

ARTHUR- H. LEVESQUE.

of the releasable loop-

